Project Summary This proposal requests partial support for the 2017 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Epigenetics, entitled Epigenetics in action: from mechanisms to biological impacts. This conference began in 1995 and has earned an international reputation as a premier meeting in its field. The Epigenetics GRC is known for the quality of scientific presentations that embrace the philosophy of reporting unpublished exciting new discoveries at the forefront of epigenetics. This conference is central to the NIH mission because epigenetics brings understanding to mechanisms used in decoding and regulating genomes during differentiation and development, processes critical for human development and health. The major goals of the 2017 Epigenetics GRC are to establish a rich scientific program that captures the breadth of epigenetics, foster new cross disciplinary collaborations by bringing together investigators who might not normally interact, and promote careers of young investigators through initiatives that integrate attendees of the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), a preconference held for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The Epigenetics GRC will include invited speakers at all career levels, with efforts to ensure diversity and balance among speakers. The scientific program will reflect resolve to support women scientists and participants in underrepresented populations, using strategies to build a strong participant pool that will be used to select speakers. Together, these aims will provide a highly dynamic conference that motivate the field and energize the new generation of investigators.